This invention relates to a method and apparatus for containing, controlling and suppressing the detonation of explosives, particularly for the on-site destruction and disposal of terrorist weapons such as package bombs, including weapons which are known or suspected to contain chemical or biological warfare agents.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for containing, controlling and suppressing the effects of explosive detonations, particularly those detonations resulting from the destruction of suspected package bombs and similar terrorist devices. The purpose of the invention is to provide a containment device which can contain and suppress the explosion and its explosion products so that it poses no hazard to surrounding plant and equipment, or to the environment.
A further object is to provide a compact and readily portable device to enable appropriate military or law enforcement authorities to safely destroy not only devices suspected of containing explosives, but also devices suspected of containing a combination of explosives and toxic chemicals and/or biological warfare (xe2x80x9cCBWxe2x80x9d) agents.
The improved explosion chamber of the invention comprises a double-walled steel explosion chamber with hollow walls, ceiling and floor. These cavities are filled with granular shock damping material such as silica sand. The floor of the chamber is covered with a bed of granular shock-damping such as pea gravel.
On the outside of the chamber are steel manifolds from which a linear array of vent pipes penetrates the double walls of the chamber, with each pipe having at its entrance end a protected hardened steel orifice through which the explosion combustion products pass before being vented through the pipes into the manifolds.
In use, a known or suspected explosive or CBW weapon is placed in the chamber with an initiating explosive or xe2x80x9cdonor chargexe2x80x9d, and the weapon and donor charge are suspended at approximately the midpoint of the chamber in harness or net made of material which will substantially disintegrate in the following explosion. The donor charge is fitted with detonation means such as an electrical blasting cap connected to an outside source of initiation energy by fine wires or other suitable means. Also placed within the chamber, around and in proximity to the explosives, are plastic film bags filled with water which have the effect of tempering and moderating the effects of the detonation.
After detonation, the explosion products are vented through the orifices and vent pipes into the manifolds, from which they are directed into a treatment device such as a scrubber before being released to the atmosphere.
The method of operation of the invention comprises the steps of suspending a known or suspected explosive or CBW device at approximately the midpoint of the chamber in a harness or net of disintegratable material, positioning plastic bags containing an amount of water approximating the weight of explosive near the explosive, attaching a detonation initiation device to the donor charge, closing the access door to seal the chamber against venting directly to the atmosphere, detonating the explosives, and controlling the release of the explosion products through the vent pipes into the manifolds, and then holding, testing and treating the explosion products until they can be safely released into the environment.
Another important feature of the invention is that for use in destroying known or suspected CBW agents, a the donor charge consists of a specially formulated plastic bonded explosive containing added oxygen-enrichment and fireball-enhancing ingredients to assure the complete destruction of all CBW agents with a minimum quantity of explosive material.